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Dangers of Mercury Tooth Fillings

Mercury tooth fillings are also known as amalgam. Amalgam is composed of silver and other metals, along with 50 percent mercury. The use of amalgam dates back to the Civil War. There are safer alternatives available today, but some dentists continue to use amalgam fillings because they are inexpensive. If you are having fillings, ask your dentist which kind of material she uses. If you already have mercury fillings, consider having them replaced with something like porcelain, glass or composite fillings.

  1. Highest Concentration

    • Mercury is a known health hazard. It is linked to insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders, neurological impairment, restlessness, bleeding gums, lack of concentration and poor memory. In 1991, the World Health Organization determined that people are exposed to four times as much mercury from dental fillings as they are from the other leading source, which is fish.

    Cumulative Buildup

    • Mercury leaches continuously from amalgam fillings via mercury vapor. The vapor is inhaled through the lungs or absorbed into the bloodstream. It circulates and accumulates in various parts of the body, including the brain, the pituitary gland and the adrenal system.

    Kidneys

    • While mercury can accumulate anywhere in the body, the most common sites of accumulation are the brain, kidneys and liver. Mercury impairs kidney function and liver function, making it more difficult for the body to filter out all toxins, not just mercury. The damage can be permanent. Children are particularly susceptible to mercury damage that lasts a lifetime.

    Alzheimer's Disease

    • Mercury is implicated in the development of Alzheimer's disease. A study published in Issue 12 of Neuroreport, 2001, revealed that rats exposed to mercury vapor had brain damage that was indistinguishable from the damage caused by Alzheimer's disease.

    Reproduction, Pregnancy and Infants

    • Mercury can impair fertility. Once a woman is pregnant, mercury crosses the placenta and is excreted into breast milk. Infants retain eight times the levels of mercury found in the mother. It can damage the infant's immune system and cause brain damage.

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